(Long post) Healthy Betta took turn for the worst
Mar 8, 2018 6:50:56 GMT -5
via mobile
Carl likes this
Post by bettarescue on Mar 8, 2018 6:50:56 GMT -5
Hey guys, I have been away too long. A friend lured me away into FB, which I started a profile just to join her sick fish group (UGH I regret it, Facebook is the steeler of souls), and it’s just not my scene. Lol so I’m back where it feels good to be, I shan’t stray again 😏
Carl has been helping me with this over on FB, But unfortunately we can’t call victory, very likely due to my bettas poor genes. Was hoping maybe some bright minds here could help.
The reg 3 in check (nitrates in the 20s with zeros on the other two) PH 8, KH 5/89.5, GH 14/250-ish (its 2am and I cant get my journal with the exact #, but I’m pretty sure that’s it). I use reg WS religiously, and Medicated version as needed. I am anal to a fault with water, I won’t use a python bc I don’t like how the conditioned gets added so I use the bucket method with an electric therm to ensure the water temp matches to the T, and add my Prime using a large jar to aerate and mix the water for 2-3 mins. I gravel vac every change and clean the HOB filter at least monthly, and the sponge 3 out of 4 times. The tank is a 10g with a Tetra 10 adjustable flow and a ATI/Lustar Hydro Sponge 2 (rates for a 20) for dual filtration. She has a very large (“mother” some call it) Anubias plant and a few smaller Anubias as well. She’s got a cave, floaty log, and shrimp tunnels for decor. Only think I can say I am not proud of is the BGA that overran her tank (before all the meds killed it off) which came off some scuzzy water lettuce that came from questionable sources about 6+ months ago. The water stank, the whole house would smell for a day after changing her water. The crud would form thick green sheets that would seal the entire tank off, in 5 days time. She also has too much gravel, from me trying to keep that beast of a plant down... I regret that now. She eats AAP Carnivore crumbles and some raw foods (blood worms, Daphnia, spirulina brine shrimp) that I thaw in tank water. I am a firm believer in what i have learned from Carl, Devon, AAP and Aquarium and Pomd Answers... it has kept my fish healthy and my tanks at peace for years. I don’t ever add my rescue fish to other tanks, or cross contaminate.
So, about Feb 10th I notice my Betta Orchid is bloated and clamping. I try the reg Betta remedies for this (pea, Daphnia, MB baths with epsom and AQ salt etc) with no avail. Then I top off her tank to notice the water is wayyy to warm, I am guessing she lived like this since the last water change (TBH It could be longer as my 2yo pulls every freaking therm off the tank, and the internal ones got slimed in BGA so often I quit usuing them)... so likely a week in 84-90 degree water. At this point my husband notices what we believed was velvet (she’s had it before so I know what it looks like). Started the Coppersafe meds in tank while giving 1x daily MB baths, it didn’t change her gold sheen or her clamping. Thought my meds weren’t working well in my high ph tank (copper goes inert more quickly at higher PH applications) so I changed to medicated wonder shells in tank with 1/2 dose of copper, thinking it was stubborn case of velvet. Nope. Still no dice. It occurred to me that my fish is a nasty little bugger who picks at what she thinks is food and spits it back out when she discovers it’s not... and thought we could be dealing with a gut aeromonas infection, especially considering the BGA that makes this type of infection easy to catch. Started her on a coarse of Neoplex and Metroplex medicated food which I fed for 10 days while giving the 1x daily baths still. She was still bloated, clamping harder then i have ever seen a sick fish, getting pin holes and tears in her anal fin, and gulping air at the surface. Then the weird white things showed up. On her forehead and right side she had a white node coming out under her scales. Not Columnaris or Saprolegnia spots, these looked liked parasites working their way out of her body. They came out on their own within 3 days a piece. No gaping holes where they came from, just small marks that showed something had came out. I thought anchor worms, but I just don’t think that was it. After this weird little episode, I Started her on Kanaplex and Bifuran in tank as soon as the med food stopped, which we are on day 3 of (I think). Her belly has gotten bigger and she’s miserable, but still eating and showing me love. She wants to live, she’s fighting like hell. I am more of a “fix your water” then, “throw meds at it” type of fish keeper, but at this point I would try about anything. It’s shameful to admit I am so desperate to save her life, because it’s clouding my good sense and logic. I know she’s a Betta, I even picked her bc she was not a super special tail type (she’s a spade tail, close to veils which aren’t of show quality. So I thought her genes may be less over bred for looks), she was young and healthy- something rare in my house: a fish who doesn’t come needing saving! At this point, I’m thinking this could be something that’s gone systemic (aeromonas or worse), hence the hopeless clamping and fins drooping depressingly when they’re not Slammed shut. Also the gasping for air, and seemingly loss of use of her gills/beard when she takes in air.
I have treated many bettas in my day, I feel more comfortable diagnosing and treating them then any other fish. But this time, when it’s my most beloved fish, I can’t find a cure, and am out of ideas. Thanks for reading.
Carl has been helping me with this over on FB, But unfortunately we can’t call victory, very likely due to my bettas poor genes. Was hoping maybe some bright minds here could help.
The reg 3 in check (nitrates in the 20s with zeros on the other two) PH 8, KH 5/89.5, GH 14/250-ish (its 2am and I cant get my journal with the exact #, but I’m pretty sure that’s it). I use reg WS religiously, and Medicated version as needed. I am anal to a fault with water, I won’t use a python bc I don’t like how the conditioned gets added so I use the bucket method with an electric therm to ensure the water temp matches to the T, and add my Prime using a large jar to aerate and mix the water for 2-3 mins. I gravel vac every change and clean the HOB filter at least monthly, and the sponge 3 out of 4 times. The tank is a 10g with a Tetra 10 adjustable flow and a ATI/Lustar Hydro Sponge 2 (rates for a 20) for dual filtration. She has a very large (“mother” some call it) Anubias plant and a few smaller Anubias as well. She’s got a cave, floaty log, and shrimp tunnels for decor. Only think I can say I am not proud of is the BGA that overran her tank (before all the meds killed it off) which came off some scuzzy water lettuce that came from questionable sources about 6+ months ago. The water stank, the whole house would smell for a day after changing her water. The crud would form thick green sheets that would seal the entire tank off, in 5 days time. She also has too much gravel, from me trying to keep that beast of a plant down... I regret that now. She eats AAP Carnivore crumbles and some raw foods (blood worms, Daphnia, spirulina brine shrimp) that I thaw in tank water. I am a firm believer in what i have learned from Carl, Devon, AAP and Aquarium and Pomd Answers... it has kept my fish healthy and my tanks at peace for years. I don’t ever add my rescue fish to other tanks, or cross contaminate.
So, about Feb 10th I notice my Betta Orchid is bloated and clamping. I try the reg Betta remedies for this (pea, Daphnia, MB baths with epsom and AQ salt etc) with no avail. Then I top off her tank to notice the water is wayyy to warm, I am guessing she lived like this since the last water change (TBH It could be longer as my 2yo pulls every freaking therm off the tank, and the internal ones got slimed in BGA so often I quit usuing them)... so likely a week in 84-90 degree water. At this point my husband notices what we believed was velvet (she’s had it before so I know what it looks like). Started the Coppersafe meds in tank while giving 1x daily MB baths, it didn’t change her gold sheen or her clamping. Thought my meds weren’t working well in my high ph tank (copper goes inert more quickly at higher PH applications) so I changed to medicated wonder shells in tank with 1/2 dose of copper, thinking it was stubborn case of velvet. Nope. Still no dice. It occurred to me that my fish is a nasty little bugger who picks at what she thinks is food and spits it back out when she discovers it’s not... and thought we could be dealing with a gut aeromonas infection, especially considering the BGA that makes this type of infection easy to catch. Started her on a coarse of Neoplex and Metroplex medicated food which I fed for 10 days while giving the 1x daily baths still. She was still bloated, clamping harder then i have ever seen a sick fish, getting pin holes and tears in her anal fin, and gulping air at the surface. Then the weird white things showed up. On her forehead and right side she had a white node coming out under her scales. Not Columnaris or Saprolegnia spots, these looked liked parasites working their way out of her body. They came out on their own within 3 days a piece. No gaping holes where they came from, just small marks that showed something had came out. I thought anchor worms, but I just don’t think that was it. After this weird little episode, I Started her on Kanaplex and Bifuran in tank as soon as the med food stopped, which we are on day 3 of (I think). Her belly has gotten bigger and she’s miserable, but still eating and showing me love. She wants to live, she’s fighting like hell. I am more of a “fix your water” then, “throw meds at it” type of fish keeper, but at this point I would try about anything. It’s shameful to admit I am so desperate to save her life, because it’s clouding my good sense and logic. I know she’s a Betta, I even picked her bc she was not a super special tail type (she’s a spade tail, close to veils which aren’t of show quality. So I thought her genes may be less over bred for looks), she was young and healthy- something rare in my house: a fish who doesn’t come needing saving! At this point, I’m thinking this could be something that’s gone systemic (aeromonas or worse), hence the hopeless clamping and fins drooping depressingly when they’re not Slammed shut. Also the gasping for air, and seemingly loss of use of her gills/beard when she takes in air.
I have treated many bettas in my day, I feel more comfortable diagnosing and treating them then any other fish. But this time, when it’s my most beloved fish, I can’t find a cure, and am out of ideas. Thanks for reading.
I've never been able to save a fish this progressed. 
